Centrica announces first production from York platform

The field, 100% owned by Centrica Energy Upstream (CEU), will produce around 120 million cubic feet (mmscfd) of gas per day at its peak. Gas will be exported via pipeline to Centrica Storage Ltd’s terminal in Easington, East Yorkshire.

York brings significant benefits for Centrica. For its upstream business, this is the third significant greenfield project completed in as many years after Ensign, also situated in the Southern North Sea, and F3-FA, the first self-installing platform in the North Sea. The field also represents a successful collaborative partnership between Centrica Energy and Centrica Storage, which will process the gas through the Easington terminal, selling the resulting condensate, and providing logistics and other back up services for the platform.

Drilling is now underway on York’s second well which, at 6km, is the longest well Centrica Energy has drilled and is one of the longest wells in the Southern North Sea.

“The team is celebrating as first gas is achieved from York, which will produce enough gas to meet the demands of half a million households. We have taken this project from investment decision to production in just 24 months, which is testament to the hard work of the project teams in both Centrica Energy and Centrica Storage. We will continue to work closely in the coming weeks as we bring gas onshore to the upgraded Easington Terminal.

“York is our third significant greenfield project in as many years and represents our growing footprint in the Southern North Sea. Looking ahead we have a lot of work still to do. We have already started drilling on York’s second well which, at 6km, is the longest well we have drilled and one of the longest wells in the basin. The platform has been constructed so that it’s able to receive gas from other adjacent fields, so we will continue to explore future opportunities to develop the project further.”